Pursuit Of The Bride
Ephesians 5:22-32 (NKJV)
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Introduction:
A. Who or What is the Bride of Christ?
B. Many identify the “Church” as the Bride of Christ…..
· Church from the Greek kuriakos (belonging to the Lord)
· ekklesia (a calling out of; an assembly; gathered)
Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
C. In the Revelation, John calls the New Jerusalem the Bride of Christ…
Revelation 21:9-11 (NKJV) 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
1st Christ Gave Himself For The Bride.
[Text] Ephesians 5:25 "...Christ ...loved the church and gave Himself for it."
Acts 20:28 (NKJV) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
2nd Christ Is Pursuing The Bride
A. Pursue by definition:
· To follow in order to overtake and capture
· To seek to attain
· Endeavoring to reach or gain by effort
· Occupation; constant ambition - (all Jesus is trying to do is win us)
[Text] Ephesians 5: 27(a) That he might present her to himself a glorious church...
[Text] Ephesians 5: 27(b) ... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.
3rd Christ Is After Everyone!
John 6:37-40 (NKJV)
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
[Text] Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
[Text] Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
Conclusion:
· REMEMBER – Christ is seeking a spotless, pure, flawless, and holy Bride…
· Are YOU part of the Bride of Christ?
The Full Preaching outline follows….
Pursuit Of The Bride
Ephesians 5:22-32 (NKJV)
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord.
23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body.
24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her,
26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word,
27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.
28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.
30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones.
31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
Introduction:
D. Who or What is the Bride of Christ?
E. Many identify the “Church” as the Bride of Christ…..
· Church derives from the Greek kuriakos (belonging to the Lord)
· Also: ekklesia (a calling out of; an assembly; gathered)
· It is used of a single congregation and the church of Jesus Christ in general
· God through the Apostle Paul in our text today - describes "the church" with an analogy of husband and wife and the marital relationship.
· In the text and other places in Scripture, The church is described as "the bride" of Christ.
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Ephesians 5:32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.
F. In the Revelation, John calls the New Jerusalem the Bride of Christ…
Revelation 21:9-11 (NKJV) 9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, "Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb's wife."
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,
11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
G. So – Is the Church OR New Jerusalem the Bride of Christ?
· Actually they are one and the same…
· If only the church as we know it today is the Bride of Christ, then Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, etc. are not part of the Bride of Christ because the Church did not exist until Acts Chapter 2?
· There is a theological study that encompasses the Old Testament Saints into the New Testament Church through the death of Christ on the cross for all mankind – But one still has to consider John’s statement in Revelation 21concerning the Bride of Christ…
· The New Jerusalem in Revelation 21 includes the Church of Acts 2 AND those of the Old Testament…
H. To only call the Church the Bride is not incorrect but it is incomplete…
I. The Bride of Christ includes all redeemed men and women inhabiting the eternal New Jerusalem….
In dealing with the “Pursuit Of The Bride” today, I want to talk about three things:
1. Christ Gave Himself For The Bride.
2. Christ Is Pursuing The Bride.
3. Christ Is After Everyone.
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1st Christ Gave Himself For The Bride.
[Text] Ephesians 5:25 "...Christ ...loved the church and gave Himself for it."
A. God took a rib from man to create woman (bride)...... Man can
live without a rib!
B. Jesus took His blood to create the church (bride)...... Man can't
live without blood!
Acts 20:28 (NKJV) Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.
C. Christ "gave himself" to the church as a man should give himself
to his wife.
2nd Christ Is Pursuing The Bride
A. Pursue by definition:
· To follow in order to overtake and capture
· To seek to attain
· Endeavoring to reach or gain by effort
· Occupation; constant ambition - (all Jesus is trying to do is win us)
B. All of Scripture is a synopsis of Christ trying to catch, prepare,
and take His bride.
[Text] Ephesians 5: 27(a) That he might present her to himself a glorious church...
C. He wants a pure and spotless bride
[Text] Ephesians 5: 27(b) ... not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that she should be holy and without blemish.
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3rd Christ Is After Everyone!
John 6:37-40 (NKJV)
37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.
40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."
A. We are members of His body
[Text] Ephesians 5:30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones.
B. We have to forsake all to become part of the bride...
[Text] Ephesians 5:31 "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh."
Conclusion:
· REMEMBER – Christ is seeking a spotless, pure, flawless, and holy Bride…
· Are YOU part of the Bride of Christ?